


end of the earth

by algebraicmutiny



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-01-06 12:29:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/algebraicmutiny/pseuds/algebraicmutiny
Summary: "One Sir Reginald Hargreeves has requested that, in the event of his death, fourty three unique individuals all born on the same day, to women who had not been pregnant when it started, be assembled at the Southern Water Tribe, where he once resided in his mansion. There, they would be trained in order for their full potential as benders to be realised."or, superheroes, but not in the way you might think.





	1. i. forty three

**Author's Note:**

> 1, 2, 3 and 4.

1.  
  
When the messenger arrives, Luther is working in the fields.  
  
He's always been strong for his age and has used it to his advantage; living with his grandparents meant that there were certain things that he had to do that his guardians simply couldn't manage, hence, working on the crops and helping the plants grow. Neither of his grandparents were benders; in fact, no one in his family was apart from him, as far as he was aware. It's what made his own bending abilities so surprising to everyone-- not only was he an earth bender born to a non-bending mother (who, coincidentally, had not been pregnant when the day started), but his capability and raw talent when working with the element made him something of a local legend. Well known within the Earth Kingdom's underground fighting rings since he was just eight years old, he was no stranger to talent scouts. He always rejected their offers, however. His family needed him; his grandmother was frail and ill, and his grandfather spent all his time taking care of her, leaving Luther to take care of the fields, manipulating the Earth around the budding plants to bring the largest possible harvest, to provide income to their poor family and support his grandmother's treatment.  
  
This time is different. This time, his grandmother is dead.  
  
Luther goes about his life as normal. In the morning, he tends the fields with the family cow, Luna, checking the consistency of the soil and the healthiness of the plants, before leaving to go to the market. He buys what he always buys: an apple, a lamb pie and a piece of honeycomb. On Sundays, he sets up his own stall and sells whatever fruit and vegetables he's harvested that week, and on Mondays he goes out to buy everything they don't grow themselves. A jar of honey. A bag of sugar. A bunch of grapes, because his grandmother had loved them, and Luther had never managed to figure grapes out.  
  
He had been determined to do it before his grandmother died. He supposes that there's no point now.  
  
Normally, after the market, he drops by one of the rings, but recently it hasn't felt right. He's just going through the motions; he feels like his passion, his drive and energy, has just disappeared, along with his grandmother.  
  
He goes back to the fields, instead.  
  
Five days after her death, it happens.  
  
The messenger tells him that one Sir Reginald Hargreeves has requested that, in the event of his death, fourty three unique individuals all born on the same day, to women who had not been pregnant when it started, be assembled at the Southern Water Tribe, where he once resided in his mansion. There, they would be trained in order for their full potential as benders to be realised.  
  
"Your family will be suitably compensated," the man says breezily. He's dressed in what Luther assumes to be traditional Water Tribe dress, but he wouldn't know. He's never been outside Ba Sing Se's walls. "500 gold pieces a year to pay for your absence, while you are gone. Should you decide to return, the payment will cease. The money will not be retracted, however."  
  
Luther isn't sure.  
  
"I'll think about it," he says, shortly. The man nods.  
  
"You have until Friday evening. That's three days," he says. "There are other families I have to visit, who I am sure would be more than happy to accept this offer. You should seriously consider it."  
  
"Thanks, but don't tell me what to do," Luther replies, irritated. The past week has been nothing but people dictating his life to him. What to do, who to talk to about funeral arrangements, how to run the farm with his grandmother gone. He's been running the farm on his own for as long as he can remember. He thinks he can manage. "My grandmother's funeral service is on the Saturday. Can you make an exception?"  
  
The messenger appears to mull the question over for a moment, fixing Luther with a level stare. "No," he finally responds, a strange glint in his eye.  
  
"Well then," Luther says stiffly. "I suppose you'll have to find someone else to fulfill a dead man's wishes. After all, you said so yourself; many families would be more than happy to accept your offer."  
  
Sniffing, the man bows shortly. "As you wish."  
  
Luther turns and walks away. He has weeds to pull before he tends to the potatoes.  
  
On Sunday morning, the man comes back.  
  
"No one else agreed," he says tiredly. He looks exhausted, bags under his eyes. Luther feels a twinge of sympathy. The Earth Kingdom is not small. "So I am here to offer you the opportunity again."  
  
Luther doesn't reply immediately, and the man looks frantic. "Please," he begs. "We need an earth bender, it said so in his will."  
  
"Okay," Luther says. "Let me go get my things."  
  
As he's leaving, he kisses his grandfather gently on the forehead. "Look after Luna for me," he says, and the old man bows his head.  
  
"I will," he says, a wistful smile on his lips. "But I don't think that the farm will ever be the same without you or Johanna."  
  
"Sell it," Luther offers. "Too many memories to stay. I wouldn't blame you."  
  
His grandfather reaches up and places a hand on his cheek. "Look at you," he murmurs. "All grown up now. Your mother and your grandmother both, they would be so proud."  
  
As Luther leaves, he lets a few tears fall. The messenger doesn't ask any questions, and Luther is grateful.  
  
2.  
  
Diego knows about the scout before they even enter the Fire Kingdom. He has a network, built up over the years before his mother died and put to use shortly after, and at nineteen years of age, he's the unseen king of the streets. The Kraken, they call him, with his uncanny ability to withstand water attacks despite his fire bending, and his penchant for lightning strikes.  
  
If anyone knows anything, he knows it too. That's how it works in the Fire Nation Capital.  
  
He flings open the door of his apartment before the woman can even knock. "Come in," he says. "I know who you are."  
  
If she's surprised, she doesn't show it. She looks to be around his own age, dark brown hair to her shoulders, her clothes custom fitted for the Fire Nation's warmer weather. She's come all the way down from the South Pole, he's heard, which means that someone is really desperate to collect him.  
  
"My name is Eudora," she says simply. "I am here to inform you of the death of Sir Reginald Hargreeves, and to offer you a place in the program he created shortly before he died."  
  
"My name is Diego," he says patiently. "And I am here to inform you, to come in."  
  
He feels a smug sense of satisfaction at the twitch of her brow. Stepping delicately past the threshold of the house, she doesn't bother looking around, instead moving aside to let him close the door before turning to face him again. "Sir Hargreeves ordered for the forty three benders born on the same day, to women who weren't pregnant, to be gathered at his mansion at the South Pole. There you will train to enhance your skills in both offense and defense, and meet people like yourself, creating a strong team of benders who can be called on should conflict ever arise between the nations."  
  
"Not to shoot you down on the spot, sweetheart," Diego says, "But I don't need more training."  
  
She fixes with him a stare that sends chills down his spine. "There is always room for improvement. Tell me how you would defend yourself against someone who can bend your blood to their will."  
  
His hands jerk up above his head without his permission as she twitches her fingers to the side. "What the--" he starts, but finds himself unable to continue when his mouth clamps shut.  
  
"What will you do now, Diego?" she asks. He glares at her, muscles in his jaw bunching as he grinds his teeth together. She smirks at him. Cocky little shit. Trying not to alert her of his movement, he wriggles his toes slightly, relishing in the warmth that builds up in his feet, before crumpling to the ground and whipping a leg out to catch her knees as he falls. She yelps, and Diego feels her concentration falter, taking the opportunity to lash out, expelling a blast of heat in Eudora's direction. He has a rule of no fire in the house, other than for cooking; it says so, on the doormat. She reaches frantically for the water skin at her waist, but Diego beats her to it, sending a bolt of electricity towards her side, and she shrieks in pain, ripping the bottle off of her belt and scrambling away from it.  
  
"What will you do now, Eudora?" he taunts, pulling himself up off the ground and dusting himself off. She scowls at him, breath heaving.  
  
"Arsehole," she growls. Diego beams.  
  
"That's me, baby," he crows. "I like you, though. When do we leave?"  
  
"Not until Friday," she bites out. "There are other places I have to visit before heading back South."  
  
"I'll tag along," Diego says brightly. "I'm a great recruiter, and anyone who knows anyone knows who I am. I'll be an aid to your cause."  
  
"I don't need you," Eudora snaps. "I can do this on my own."  
  
"Oh, ok," he says. "Guess I'll stay here then, and not come to this weirdo's superhero gathering that you want me to attend. Cool! Now get out of my house."  
  
"That's not what I meant," she starts, before sighing in defeat. "Whatever, fine. You can come."  
  
"Nice." He claps his hands together, feeling the buildup of static electricity in his palms. "I'll go get my knives."

3.  
  
Allison had never considered a life in the South before, and she certainly wasn't considering it now.  
  
"No," she says again, sweeping past another reporter, and the poor woman who had been sent to retrieve her scuttles after her grimly.  
  
"I really think you should consider it," she calls, and Allison winces at the attention it draws to them. It's not what she's looking for right now. "I mean, think about it. You are a ridiculously talented water bender, born to a non-bending family, wasting your potential on a career that will keep you in the limelight for ten years maximum, before they find another, younger, prettier girl to take your place, and you retire to the life of just another healer, forgotten and unmissed."  
  
Allison whirls around, and the woman bumps into her, squawking in surprise. "How dare you," she hisses. "Who are you to dictate my life to me? My choices are none of your business, and it is not up to you to judge me for a perfectly reasonable path of work for someone of my calibre."  
  
"But you won't be able to keep it up," the woman says simply. "This is the Northern Water Tribe; you of all people should know that they do not look kindly upon women here, especially those of your capabilities. You will be demoted, and there's nothing you can do about it. You know it."  
  
Allison blinks at her, stunned. There is an element of truth to her words, of course, but she doesn't want to believe her. After all, this is her dream, isn't it? To be a part of the Northern Water Tribe's ceremonial dance group, practicing traditional rituals every full moon in the presence of royalty, harnessing the power of the moon and the tide to create magical displays of ice and water in the royal courtyard. She's one of the few women on the team, making her an object of interest for people all around, and her skill in the art of bending has attracted international attention to their performances. She doesn't want to think that she is replaceable; she wants to believe that somehow, the laws of her tribe will not apply to her, and she will always be allowed to pursue her first love.  
  
Allison is considerably shaken at the terrifying thought of growing old and disappearing from public view as the government of her home try to push her down and into submission, forcing her into the life reserved for bending women, saddling her with the responsibility of childcare and healing.  
  
It's not the life she wants, but deep down, she knows it's the life she will have if she doesn't get out, and quickly.  
  
She realises that the woman is staring at her expectantly, and she waves her hand impatiently, blue robes fluttering around her. "Leave me," she says. "I will consider your offer, but continue following me and I will call the authorities and have you arrested for harrassment of a public figure."  
  
"You have until Friday to decide," the young woman says helpfully, curly hair bouncing around her shoulders, thick parka and solid boots a sharp contrast to Allison's layered skirts and tasteful fur shawl. "I have others to approach with the offer, as well, but I am hoping that you will agree. Sir Hargreeves was a big fan of your work."  
  
This only serves to make Allison uncomfortable. "Well, thank you," she says uncertainly. "How shall I contact you, to let you know of my choice?"  
  
"I will find you," the woman says, and then she's gone, melting into the crowd like the very element she controls.  
  
Allison spends the rest of the day in a state of unease, unfocused and wary, touching the betrothal necklace at her throat again and again. Now there's a factor she would have to take into consideration.  
  
Patrick.  
  
She was lucky, she supposes, that she even got to choose who she became engaged to. With her mother dead, and no father to speak of, she was free to be with whoever she so chose, so long as the other family agreed. And agree they did; after all, who would turn down a famous figure such as Allison? Charming and persuasive, headstrong yet soft and kind, she had seemed to be the perfect match for their son. And she had been-- for a while.  
  
There is a tension in their relationship as of late, she's noticed. She isn't sure why, but every day he returns from his work on the border a little more distant, a little more callous and cruel. And she can't say he's entirely to blame; as much as she is headstrong, she is also stubborn and unwilling to change, manipulative in her kindness and difficult to compromise with.  
  
She doesn't know how he'll react to a sudden decision to go South. She supposes there's only one way to find out.  
  
"I'm leaving, I think," she says that night, over dinner. It's squid soup, for the third time this week, and if Allison needed another reason to get out of here, she had it right in front of her. "I'm going south."  
  
Patrick drops his spoon. "What," he says blandly.  
  
"I said, I'm going south," she repeats, more confidently this time. "There's a group that wants me for my bending abilities-- some Reginald Hargreeves, wanted to make a team of special people. I'm one of them."  
  
"So, the wedding's off then," Patrick notes, before picking his spoon back up and continuing where he left off. "When are you leaving?"  
  
Allison feels her eyes widen. "What do you mean, the wedding's off?" She knew it would be inevitable, should she decide to go, but she had been expecting more of a fight for her to stay, more of a reaction from the man who had once pledged to give his life to her.  
  
Patrick glances up at her. "Well, you're leaving," he says, as if that explains everything, as if that explains his disinterest in her and her choices. "We can't get married if you aren't going to be here. So, when are you leaving?"  
  
"I," she says eloquently. She's at a loss for words. "Friday, but--"  
  
"Okay," her fiancee (her goddamn fiancee) says, standing abruptly. "I'll help you pack your things."  
  
Allison just sits, feeling sick and helpless as the man she had thought she'd loved bustles past her and into their bedroom, seeming all too happy to be rid of her and any trace that she may leave behind.  
  
"Hey," Patrick calls, and she hears the sound of bags being opened in the other room. "Do you want to keep the necklace?"  
  
She feels her heart snap in two.  
  
"I think I need to take a breath of air," she says, turning back to look at him, and he shrugs.  
  
"Okay, but don't expect me to pack all the right things," he quips. "You're too fussy for your own good."  
  
Allison swallows a sob as she nods, turning on her heel and practically running out the door. How is this the life she chose for herself? How has she been living blind to her partner's disinterest toward her, allowing the love of her life to slip between her fingers? How ironic that it would be easier for her to stop water from escaping her grasp than it would be to keep the only person she cared for from falling out of love with her.  
  
Somehow, she isn't surprised when she stumbles out of the house to see the same girl from before standing on the street, looking out to the harbour.  
  
"It really is beautiful here," she says, and Allison thinks she might just go hysterical.  
  
"Very," she manages to choke out.  
  
"It's not like this back home," the woman continues. "We're a lot more connected with nature. Here you surround yourselves with ice walls and jewellery as if it will protect you."  
  
"Protect us from what?" Allison finds herself asking. The woman turns to her, eyes glinting in the cold light of the moon.  
  
"I feel like I should be asking you that question," she replies. "Are you ready to come with me?"  
  
Allison reaches up to the necklace, hesitating a moment before yanking it off and letting it clatter to the floor.  
  
"Yes," she says. "I think I am."

 4.  
  
Klaus thinks that the man is just another spirit for a good day before he tries to walk through him.  
  
There has always been drawbacks to his heightened spiritual sensitivity-- that's what the town's elders had called it, anyway, before he'd given up on training and started bunking lessons to try and escape the noise of both living and dead at the temple. He preferred sitting on his own at the tip of the island's tail, staring out to sea and focusing on "channelling his energy", or something like that. He supposes that it's better than just lying around all day, at least. He knows he'll never get his mastery tattoos at this rate, but he knows that he's good, and that knowledge is all he needs. Besides, it's not like he wants to shave his entire head just for some arrows, anyway; he has a wonderful head of curly hair, and he can "direct his chi" just fine on his own.  
  
He's floating just above the tip of the whale's tail, as they call it on the island, concentrating on his breathing, allowing his centre to slowly drift upwards and out of his body when he hears it.  
  
"Excuse me?" a voice calls from somewhere below him, and Klaus feels his soul being yanked violently back into his body as his concentration breaks and he tumbles to the ground, sprawling arse over tip.  
  
"Owww," he moans, slowly opening his eyes to look up at whatever arsehole had just interrupted his meditation and decide whether or not he'll give them a piece of his mind. "Hello?"  
  
"Hello," the man says, cheerful but concerned. "Are you Klaus?"  
  
"Are you an annoying cunt?" Klaus retorts before letting out a gust of air that pushes him back to his feet. "I was projecting and you interrupted me. That's dangerous, I could have died!"  
  
"No, you couldn't have," the man replies, rolling his eyes before extending his hand. "My name is Dave. I'm here to offer you an opportunity."  
  
Klaus eyes this "Dave" warily. He's dressed like a waterbender from the stories he'd heard as a child, thick parker way too much for the mild day that they're having. He's handsome but gaunt, looking vaguely green and ill. Klaus supposes that he must have had some kind of death at sea to be looking so sick and gross. "No thank you," he says. "I don't do deals with spirits."  
  
Dave looks confused. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Nobody comes up here except for me and a handful of spirits desperate enough to get my attention. Now sod off, I'm trying to get out of here for a bit." Klaus turns away from the spirit and settles back down onto the ground, closing his eyes and trying to tune out his surroundings.  
  
"What if I said I could actually get you out of here?" Dave asks, and Klaus laughs.  
  
"You aren't the first," he says lightly. "You lot say this shit all the time! No, I'm not coming to the afterlife with you. No, I do not care to see my mother and she does not care to see me either because if she did she would have come to me already. No, I am not interested in the perfect life you had planned before you died, and no, I will not bring you back to life. That is illegal and very tiring to do. It also never turns out right and you'll end up some kind of strange, undead creature who feasts on human flesh and cannot be killed. So no, to any and all requests you may have."  
  
"Klaus, I'm serious," the man pleads. "I am not a ghost, I just need to talk to you."  
  
"Oh great, so you're in denial too!" Klaus exclaims, now getting irritated. "I seriously do not have time for this. I'm a very busy man."  
  
"Busy trying to eject your soul from your body?" Dave asks drily, and Klaus huffs as he stands up turning around and storming past Dave.  
  
"It's called spiritual projection," he yells over his shoulder. "And it's a fine art!"  
  
Dave follows him down the hill and into the valley, even as he starts levitating a few centimetres off the ground, avoiding tree roots and the uneven surface of the ground while Dave stumbles and trips in his large boots. What a strange ghost, Klaus muses to himself. Must not be used to it yet, then.  
  
When Klaus finally makes it back to the town, Dave hot on his heels, the sun has set and he's decided that he has properly had enough. Turning abruptly around a corner into an alley where no one would be able to hear him blather to himself about spirits and exorcisms he wishes he was allowed to perform, he glides a short distance before turning to face Dave.  
  
"I've about had enough of you following me around today," he starts, feeling himself getting angry. He hopes it doesn't get too windy and alert the nomads at the temple. "It's very rude to stalk people, especially if you aren't going to be sneaky about it."  
  
"I'm not stalking you," Dave says, exasperated, but Klays shushes him.  
  
"It's okay, I've heard it all before," he soothes. "You died an unjust death, there's someone you forgot to say goodbye to, there's an unfinished task that won't let you leave. Don't worry-- tell me what it is and I'll sort it." He pauses to squint at Dave before saying, "I don't usually do this, but you're very cute, and you have annoyed me so much today, and I've decided to treat you. Just give me the word and you'll be off in the afterlife. You'll be set for life! Or, well, death, I suppose."  
  
"I'm not dead," Dave repeats for what feels like the hundredth time, finally starting to sound like he's giving in.  
  
"It's okay," Klaus says. "Take your time."  
  
"I'm seriously not dead!" Dave nearly yells, and Klaus winces.  
  
"Well okay, then," he says, raising his hands up. "Don't say I didn't offer to help, though."  
  
And with an air of finality, he walks through Dave to reach the main street.  
  
Or well, he tries to.  
  
When he collides with solid man, he goes reeling backwards, falling again, but this time in slow motion. He shrieks, yells out "Daddy?" in a blind panic, and grasps for the closest thing that may stop him from toppling over, which just so happens to be Dave's hand.  
  
Of course, Dave comes crashing down with him.  
  
When Klaus opens his eyes, it's to Dave peering worriedly into his face.  
  
"Hello handsome," he says dreamily. "So you really aren't dead, huh? My apologies."  
  
He proceeds to pass out.  
  
Klaus wakes up in his own bed, with Dave sitting right beside him. He swears loudly, jerking away from the hand on his arm and curling into himself.  
  
"How did you get into my house?" he yelps, eyes wide.  
  
Dave shifts uncomfortably. "There was a key under the mat. Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"  
  
"Yes," Klaus says, feeling grumpy. "I don't want to know what I said."  
  
"You said that I have beautiful eyes," Dave supplies helpfully. "And that you'd like to get your hand down my--"  
  
"What do you want, Dave," Klaus groans, closing his eyes. "I have no money, no parents, no useful skills other than my bending and no experience other than talking to ghosts in my freetime. What could you possibly have to say to me?"  
  
"Sir Reginald Hargreeves is dead," Dave states. "You are one of the forty three immaculate conceptions that he wished to gather at the South Pole in the event of his death. You and the other forty two are benders born from non-bending families, from mothers who were not pregnant, all on the same day, at the a  
same time. You are to complete your training at his mansion."  
  
"Cool," Klaus says. Well, it's not like he had anything better to do. "I'm in. Who's this Reginald guy anyway? Sounds like a twat."


	2. ii. the boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> boy, meet klaus. klaus, meet boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man this is so fucking short but im so tired aboht 2 pass out gnight

  
5.  
  
The boy is not alone when he is approached by the man Dave, which isn't ideal for a number of reasons.  
  
Reason number one; the people who accompany him do not know of his bending capabilities. This aspect of his existence has to remain a secret for his mission to be a success-- no one can know of his gift, lest his secret weapon be revealed, blowing his cover.  
  
Reason number two; the man should not have been able to find this place. The boy narrows his eyes across the table at the blue-clad messenger, who is cheerfully shuffling through his cards, humming as he rearranges them. Only moments earlier he had been introducing himself brightly to the group of four, saying "Good evening, gentlemen, you can call me Dave." They had all eyed him with distrust, but he had just beamed at them all, eyes sweeping around the table before landing on the boy.  
  
The boy knows that Dave is here for him. This complicates things.  
  
He'll have to speed the plan along, in order to get out with his life.  
  
"I have the three of diamonds," he announces, and there's a discontented grumble around the table. He feels smug; he can work this until the last minute, he's sure.  
  
When he lays down his diamond flush, he feels the room tense. "Anyone?"  
  
A murmur of "pass" ripples around the table, and he's about to take in the hand when a hand shoots out.  
  
"Wait!" Dave yelps. "Wait, wait. I think I have something."  
  
The boy feels annoyance building up in his blood, stirring the cards in his hand with a brief gust of wind. This guy needs to learn when to shut up. "Well," he says coolly. "We're waiting."  
  
The man fumbles with his cards, counting them out loud and finally grinning before laying them down. "Royal Flush!" he exclaims, excited.  
  
The boy leans back in his chair, exhaling heavily through his nose. Dave has proved to be an unknown factor in the equation that was the mission, and his meddling has landed the boy in a tight spot.  
  
"Well then," he sighs, slapping his thighs and standing abruptly. "It has been a pleasure playing with you gentlemen, but it's time for me to finish this."  
  
One of the men at the table (firebender, if he recalls correctly, a fugitive of the law due to tax evasion, hiding out on the border between the Earth Kingdom and the Air Nomads' southern territory to escape twenty years in prison) laughs at him. "It seems we have a sore loser here, fellas! Looks like we'll be taking your bet, then."  
  
"No," the boy responded, cocking his head to the side. "You won't."  
  
With a clench of his fist, the air pressure in the room drops. The men lay down their cards, confused at the sudden change in atmosphere.  
  
"Dave," the boy says mildly. "I'll meet you outside."  
  
Dave nods nervously, scrambling out of his chair and backing out of the room. The rest of the men watch him go silently before turning to the boy, questions written into their expressions as he closes his eyes and focuses on the temperature of the room, on the air around him, on the feeling of the fan at his side.  
  
"What is the meaning of this," demands the man on his left, dressed in the green and gold robes of Earth Kingdom nobility. "Who was that man, and what does he have to do with you?"  
  
"None of that concerns you," the boy says. "It won't matter very shortly."  
  
The man looks as if he is about to argue again, but the boy is tired. With a wave of his hand, he sucks the air out of the room.   
  
"Lovely to have gotten to know you all," he says, stepping around where the men are falling and clutching at their throats, grasping for his robes as he walks past. He slips through their grips. "But I have all I need." He holds up the file and key he had concealed on his person, and the fire bender lets out a choked howl of rage. "Pity we had to cut this so short; I was so certain that I would win."  
  
With that, he slips out of the door and shuts it behind him, leaving the three men to suffocate.  
  
He does not love his job, but it brings him a grim sense of satisfaction, bringing half the despair he has felt onto those who had once wrought it. It is surprisingly easy, he has found, to detach his victims from the undoubtedly human lives they must lead and see the world only in black and white, right and wrong. As far as he is concerned, there is no grey area when he is working. He finds, he kills, and he is paid. It's good money; what a pity that he can feel himself slowly going insane.  
  
He meets Dave outside as he said he would, and tries not to seem surprised at the second person hanging in thin air.  
  
"There he is!" the hanging man yells excitedly, and the boy waves his hand at the guy to get him to shut up. It seems to work, as he clamps his mouth shut and nods as solemnly as one can when upside down. The boy notes the man's lack of aid in levitation and is suitably impressed; he must be a very skilled bender in order to achieve such a feat, but he cannot help but notice the absence of mastery tattoos. He isn't one to judge, as he never received them either, but he has to wonder at such a talented airbender not having the mark of expertise of his people.  
  
"I know why you're here," he says, short and to the point. He would rather skip the monologue that Dave had obviously prepared. "But I need to know how you found me."  
  
Dave looks like he's about to reply when the other man cuts him off. "Oh, that would be me," he says brightly. "Nice to meet you, I'm Klaus."  
  
The boy squints at him suspiciously. He hadn't noticed anyone snooping around down in the barracks, and if he had, he certainly would have recognised Klaus; the man had an air about him, which, paired with the wild hair and wild eyes, made him impossible to miss. Klaus rights himself in the air, which the boy is grateful for, as he can take the other much more seriously this way. If he hadn't seen Klaus, the man must not have been in the building. That could only leave one option.  
  
"Spiritual projection," he murmurs in awe. "Fascinating. I don't think I've ever met anyone proficient enough to leave the body for as long as it must have taken to find and search the base."  
  
"I'm a very special guy," Klaus shoots back. "What's your name?"  
  
"I don't have one," the boy replies. "I gave it up."  
  
Klaus looks distraught. "Then what am I supposed to call you?"  
  
The boy considers this for a moment before nodding slightly to himself. "Well, how many people have you offered the opportunity to before myself?"  
  
Dave pauses, seeming to be counting in his head before saying, "Four. Why?"  
  
"You can call me Five, then," the boy says. "Assassins do not have names. They're a liability. But you can call me this if you wish."  
  
Klaus claps his hands together with glee. "Perfect," he exclaims. "I can't wait to get to know you better, Five. Where are you even from?"  
  
Dave bustles them into the cart awaitig them, and the boy waits until they're properly situated to tell him. "Northern Air Temple. I ran away and became a hired killer."  
  
Klaus whistles slowly. "That's a sticky one. I'm from Whaletail Island, in case you were wondering. Never left. Never had to."  
  
"I wasn't," Five retorts. "And I don't particularly care." Klaus just laughs.  
  
"Oh you are a delightful bundle of giggles, aren't you?" the man says, and Five sighs. "No, no this is perfect! You will be so easy to annoy. Oh my god!"  
  
Five can imagine that this will be a long jouney.


	3. iii. jang hui

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ben.

6.  
  
It had started out a normal day at work for Ben. A few people had come in with minor ailments; a stuffy nose, a sore throat, nothing he couldn't fix by handing them a small bag of herbs with a stern warning to not overwork themselves. That has always been a problem in Jang Hui-- when winter rolls around and the fish make themselves scarce by disappearing to the bottom of the river, the villagers spend longer hours trawling their nets across the riverbed in search of food. Even now, as the chill eases and spring's warmth washes over the small town, their home is still cooler than the rest of the Fire Nation; Ben has always chalked it up to the wind, and the way that the river radiates cold even many moons after the winter solstice. The depth of the water does not allow heat to penetrate it so easily. It's a wonder that fire benders had managed to settle here in the first place; one would think that a group of wandering water benders might be more suited to the harsh conditions that they're faced with.  
  
When the water tribe dingy pulls up on the dock as Ben is out bartering that afternoon, he isn't surprised. Their village is not unknown and is often visited by newlywed couples on honeymoon vacations, so as the young man and woman stumble out of the boat, he merely smiles and goes back to his business.  
  
"I'm sorry Ben, but I can't give you these for such a low price," the merchant says, shaking his head. He's one of the ones from the mainland, bringing medicinal herbs and crystals used in all areas of healing that would be difficult for Ben to find himself. "I spend a lot of time searching for these and I can't just hand them out as free samples. I'm not a charity."  
  
"I understand that," Ben replies, smiling. "But I also know for a fact that these plants grow outside your home. You've bragged about it before, and you've sold them at lower prices than what I'm asking. It wouldn't be much hair off your back to lower the price for someone who actually needs it."  
  
The merchant stiffens. "Well," he says haughtily. "That's some memory you have there, young man. I suppose I can lower the price for you, but you speak of this to no one, you understand?"  
  
Ben grins at the man. "I understand. So, three copper pieces?"  
  
He spends another half an hour at the market, picking up his regular haul as well as sampling a few new wares that unfamiliar sellers had brought in. He's just about ready to head back to the hut when he hears it.  
  
"Why are we even here?" says a voice from behind him, and he sneaks a look over his shoulder at whoever it is, eyes widening as he recognises the couple from the boat.   
  
He has a strange feeling that they're following him.  
  
"We're here to offer a place on the program to the last firebender on the list," the other says, a scowl in her voice. "Then we're going back south."  
  
"And you're expecting to find them here?" asks the man. "No offence, but this doesn't really seem the type of place where a master bender would just be hanging out."  
  
"You aren't very smart, are you?" the woman snaps. "We have a whole list of places to visit, the places being where the children were documented at birth, and then we ask around. They aren't hard to find because their capabilities make them stand out. Have you seen many people casually bending around here?"  
  
There's a pause as the man considers it, before saying, "You're right, actually. I would have thought this was a water tribe settlement if you hadn't told me."  
  
"This is Jang Hui, it's well known as a fire-nation town. How often do you leave your house again?"  
  
"To be fair, I never listen to what you say, so I didn't even know where we were."  
  
There's a squawk and an indignant, "Hey, stop hitting me!" Ben hides a smile behind his hand, shaking his head as he continues walking.  
  
Well, at least he knows why they're here, now, which means he can prepare for their arrival at his hut.  
  
He knows that they're here for him. It wasn't hard to figure out, from the way they were talking, and he's very willing to discuss business with them. After all, why else would they be looking for a master bender in a small fishing village?  
  
When he arrives back, he makes quick work of putting things in jars and drawers, making sure to seal everything carefully. By the time he's done, it's been around twenty minutes. He's expecting the couple any minute now, so he sits and waits.  
  
A sharp knock on the door alerts him of their arrival, and he smiles to himself. No one from the village would bother knocking; unless he puts a sign up asking for privacy, in the case of an operation of some kind, anyone can come in at any time. "You can come in," he calls. The door swings open.  
  
A small water-tribe woman is standing at the door, closely shadowed by a taller man dressed in all black, save for the flame emblem patched on his chest, and the gold rimmed collar of his shirt, recognisable as traditional fire-nation dress. It's definitely the couple from before.  
  
"How can I help?" he asks, clasping his hands in front of him. "My name is Ben. I don't think I've seen you around before."  
  
"We just arrived," the woman says shortly. "My name is Eudora. This is Diego. We're here to make you an offer. We'd like you to come to the South Pole with us."  
  
Ben blinks. Business he had been expecting, but travel, not so much. "How about I put on a pot of tea," he suggests mildly. "Then we can discuss."  
  
As he's putting the water on to boil, he hears the two bicker behind him.  
  
"'We'? Since when did this become a 'we' situation? This is all you, sweetheart," Diego hisses. "I have nothing to do with it."  
  
"Yes, you do," Eudora shoots back. "You agreed to come. You're a part of this now, whether you like it or not."  
  
"Well maybe I shouldn't have," he huffs, sounding like a petulant child. "All you do is complain about me."  
  
"Because you're a dickhead," she snaps. "Look, Ben's making tea for us. What did you do? Tried to electrocute me, that's what!"  
  
"You started it!"  
  
"Tea's ready," Ben interrupts. "Although, maybe you might want to let it sit for a bit, unless you're a fan of weak tea."  
  
"Thank you," Eudora says, cracking a small smile. "Shall we sit?"  
  
Ben sets the tea tray down on the low table at the centre of the room, before quickly fetching the biscuit jar from its place on the top shelf. He offers the open jar to his guests. Eudora politely declines; Diego takes three.  
  
"So," Ben begins. "What's this 'going south' all about?"  
  
Eudora launches into an explanation. By the time she's finished, the tea has been sitting long enough for him to pour it, so he does. He pushes two cups towards each of the people in front of him before raising his own to his lips, blowing gently. Feeling expectant eyes on him, he raises his gaze slowly, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"What do you expect me to say?" he asks. "That I'm going to leave behind my home and my livelihood for a dead man? Who do you think is going to take care of the village while I'm gone? There isn't exactly anyone lining up to take my place as healer."  
  
"Do you have no apprentice or anything?" asks Diego. "I mean, I thought healers always had people running around helping them. Where's yours?"  
  
"I was the apprentice," Ben says curtly. "Then my mother died."  
  
"We didn't mean to intrude," Eudora quickly cuts in, before Diego can reply. "And I am so sorry for your loss. You don't have to come with us, but in case you change your mind, you have until Friday to decide."  
  
"That's tomorrow," Diego supplies helpfully.   
  
"We'll be at the inn," Eudora finishes, offering him another small smile. "If you have any other questions, then feel free to come find us."  
  
They leave soon after that, finishing their tea and thanking him for his hospitality before Eudora bustles Diego out of the room. Ben watches them go.  
  
He wants to join them. Really, he does. But he has a responsibility here. It isn't something he can just leave behind.  
  
He's cleaning up the cups when he hears the door creak open. He looks up and laughs when he sees who it is.  
  
"Ying," he says, beaming as he crosses the room to embrace his childhood friend. "Oh my god, how long has it been? It's so good to see you again, how are you?"  
  
"I'm great," Ying responds, grinning and hugging him tight. "God, peaches, I've missed you so much. All that travelling didn't feel the same without you."  
  
"How long are you back for?" Ben asks, pulling away and taking a good long look at her. Her black hair is pulled away from her face and into a bun, styled with a traditional hair comb. She's just as beautiful as he remembers her being.  
  
"I'm back for good," she says, and Ben gapes at her. "I'm staying, this time."  
  
"What?" He's struggling to wrap his head around the idea. Ying has been coming and going for years, travelling the globe as she learned her craft in healing. He'd also been offered the opportunity-- but he'd declined. He had preferred the comfort of home at the time. Now he wasn't so sure. "You're staying?"  
  
"I've seen the world," she says dismissively. "It's time for me to be home. Besides," she adds, a glint in her eye. "I think it's your turn."  
  
"You know," Ben states, sagging a little.   
  
"I was listening at the door." She grabs his shoulders, shaking him slightly. "This is the chance of a lifetime! Imagine, training at the South Pole! You've never even left the village."  
  
"Because it's safe," he snaps, and she sighs.  
  
"No, because you have a twisted sense of duty to the place we call our home. These people don't appreciate you the way they should. You deserve better than this, Ben. You know you do."  
  
He hesitates before looking her in the eye. There's a fire there, burning bright, brighter than any star in the sky. It really was no wonder that she had flown from the nest first.  
  
Ben supposes it really might be time.  
  
This is how he finds himself at the door to the inn early the next morning, Ying by his side. She's holding his hand tightly, and when he squeezes, she offers him a watery smile.  
  
"I want you to have the experiences I had," she says, voice wobbling. "But I just got you back. I'm not sure if I'm ready to let you go again."  
  
"I don't have to," he starts to say, but she shakes her head violently.  
  
"Yes, you do," she says. "It's important. This is where you're been going, where you've always been going. You're destined for greatness, peaches. I know it."  
  
When Eudora and Diego leave their room, they seem surprised to see Ben standing there, but pleased nonetheless. "Hey, Ben," Diego greets him, clapping him on the shoulder. He nods at Ying. "Who's this?"  
  
"My name is Chen Ying," she says. "I'm a friend of Ben's. Pleasure to meet you."  
  
Diego gives Ben a nudge and a wink before saying, "Diego. Likewise."  
  
"So what's happening with the clinic?" asks Eudora. "Is someone else running it now?"  
  
"That would be me," Ying supplies. "Thank you for offering this opportunity to Ben; he deserves it more than anyone I know."  
  
Eudora smiles gently. "We'll take good care of him," she promises.  
  
Ying lets go of Ben's hand and bows. "Thank you," she says again, before shoving Ben's shoulder. "Now go, peaches, before I change my mind."  
  
Ying stands by as they file onto the boat, Ben with his bag of medicine, Diego with his knives and Eudora with her maps and compass. She wipes at her eyes quickly, and if Ben didn't know her as well as he does, he would think that the wind was stinging her eyes.   
  
"Goodbye, peaches," she calls as Eudora unties the boat from the dock. "I'll be thinking of you!"  
  
Ben waves at her, and the boat begins to drift away, down the river. He watches the village until he can't see it anymore, until Ying is out of sight.  
  
He curls up and buries his head in his hands. Neither of his new friends say anything about it. He doesn't know when he started to consider them his friends, but he's not ungrateful for them.  
  
Ben wishes, not for the first time and certainly not for the last, that Ying was with him. It was going to be a long journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im liking ben a whole lot more after writing this chapter. interesting. anyway see u soon maybe. im so damn hungry lol


	4. iv. hi, my name is:

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> our heroes finally meet each other, and their host.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter beat me up. god. writing this was so HARD. but hopefully its ok. love u all. (also the "romance" between dolores and five is literally non-existent its basically the same as in the show so like dont... expect anything from that)

The South Pole is fucking freezing.  
  
Diego's teeth are chattering, and Eudora shoots him a look from over her cup of tea. They're sitting in some kind of waiting area outside a huge house-- almost a palace, he would say, if he could speak without his teeth chattering-- finally gathering together after a few days of rest.  
  
"You're a fire bender," she says. "Aren't you supposed to be good at the whole body temperature regulation thing?"  
  
"I'm m-more of a lightning guy, m-myself," he responds dully, not feeling warm enough to think up a clever response. "B-ben, help me out h-here."  
  
Ben sighs and places a hand on Diego's shoulder, shaking his head. Diego relishes in the warmth that floods from Ben's palm through him. He hasn't felt this warm since they'd left the Southern Air Temple, where they'd stopped for a rest before continuing on their journey, and even then the weather had been mild, not the hot humidity he had always been accustomed to.  
  
"You do need to learn how to regulate your body temp," Ben points out. "Besides, it's not like you're doing yourself any favours, just strutting around in that skintight bodysuit."  
  
"Yeah well," Diego mutters, wrapping his arms around himself. "Fuck you."  
  
Ben seems like he's about to reply when something draws his attention away from Diego, who follows his line of sight behind them to the duo making their way up to the mansion. Two women, both in standard water tribe dress, but the taller of the two wears significantly darker shades of blue. Diego squints. Something about the taller one seems familiar.  
  
Eudora stands up and raises a hand at the pair, and the shorter woman waves back in greeting. They're close enough now for Diego to get a good look at them; the woman in dark blue seems familiar, somehow, with dark skin and curly hair falling past her shoulders, shoulders pushed back as she walks. She's confident, seems like she knows what she's doing. Diego can appreciate that.  
  
When they reach the group, Eudora approaches them.   
  
"Hey, Yakami," she says, and the shorter woman embraces her before standing back again. "Only one?"  
  
"Nice to see you, too, Dora," the woman, Yakami, retorts. "See you managed to snag two. Nice job."  
  
Eudora just smiles. "They didn't exactly come easily."  
  
"Hello," Diego says shortly. "I'm Diego. That's Ben. Can we pleas go inside?"  
  
Yakami laughs. "Oh, I like this one. Nice catch, Dora!" She smiles at him, predator-like. "No, sweetcheeks. We have to wait for the others to show up. Dave has the airbenders, and Tavrik has the earth benders. They should be here soon, though, don't worry your cute little head."  
  
"Please stop flirting with him," Eudora says, at the same time as Diego seethes, "Who are you calling cute?" Ben just laughs at them.  
  
"Oh, how could I forget," Yakami exclaims. "Everyone, this is Allison."  
  
Allison bows her head slightly in greeting, smiling slightly. "Wonderful to meet you all," she says smoothly. Something clicks in Diego's head.  
  
"Hey," he says. "You're that dancer girl, right? The one from the royal Northern dance troupe?"  
  
Allison nods. "Yes, that's me," she chuckles. "You got it."  
  
Diego extends a hand for her to shake. "Nice to meet you, miss."  
  
"Likewise," she replies, grasping his hand firmly and shaking once. She turns to Ben next, who nods politely.  
  
"Ben," he supplies, smiling. "But Diego already told you that."  
  
"You guys are fire benders, right?" Allison asks, and they both nod. "What is it that you specialise in?"  
  
"Lightning," Diego says. "Not much a fan of using actual fire, so I improvise."  
  
Allison cocks her head. "Why not?"  
  
Diego just laughs. "It's quite... messy."  
  
"Ah," she responds, nodding thoughtfully. "That makes sense. And you, Ben?"  
  
"Healing," Ben says. "And temperature manipulation."  
  
Allison arches an eyebrow at him. "Healing? I didn't know firebenders could do that with their element."  
  
"It's more to do with energy flow," Ben explains. "I can redirect chi to help heal the body. I'm also partial to regular treatments with medicines. I'm a doctor, after all."  
  
"Wow, that's pretty cool," Allison says, eyes widening a fraction. "Maybe we can practice together sometime; I do healing too, as well as regular bending. I'd like to become more proficient at it."  
  
"Always here to help," Ben says, grinning.   
  
"Hey, guys," Yakami interrupts, lifting a hand to her eyes to shield them from the sun. "I think that's Tavrik over there."  
  
Soon enough, the rest of the group can see two figures making their way over to the mansion.  
  
"Wow, that guy on the left's built like a house," Diego murmurs, and Ben hits him up the back of the head.  
  
"Hey," the smaller guy says breathlessly. "Sorry we took so long, big guy wanted to take a proper look around. We only got here last night."  
  
"Does 'big guy' have a name, Tavrik?" Eudora asks thinly, and 'Tavrik' looks sheepish.  
  
"Oh, right. Everyone, this is Luther. Luther, meet everyone."  
  
Luther shakes everyone's hands, and Diego marvels at the strength in his grip.  
  
"Hey, I'm Luther," he says, looking uncomfortable. "I'm an earth bender. I specialise in armoury and plant growth. Pleasure to meet you all."  
  
The group go around and introduce themselves again, and Luther looks bashful as he says to Allison, "I think we've met before; did you perform at the annual Earth Kingdom banquet two years ago?"  
  
"Oh, I did!" She looks surprised. "Were you in attendance?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," Luther says. "I was performing too; wrestling."  
  
Allison gasps. "That's it! The Stone Guardian, right? You won!"  
  
Luther looks kind of proud of himself, and Diego scowls. "Okay, rockboy, good for you, you've met Allison before. What I wanna know is how you managed to end up so jacked."  
  
"I worked on a farm," Luther says simply. "I lived with my grandparents, and I tended to the crops. We had a cow."  
  
"Oh," Diego says. He doesn't need to follow it up, because they're interrupted by a loud hollering sound.  
  
"YOOHOO!" someone yells, and everyone cringes slightly. "WE'RE HERE!"  
  
"That would be Dave and his charges," Eudora sighs, and they all wait pensively as three people draw closer to them.  
  
The loud one, the one who had yelled, is floating alongside his two companions, arms waving dramatically as he appears to tell a story, dark curls bouncing along with his movements; one of the others is significantly shorter, especially next to the floating man, brown hair parted neatly as he walks along with his bamboo stick. The last guy, walking alongside the other two and smiling fondly at the loud one, seems to be the most normal of the bunch, but Diego knows that looks can be deceiving.  
  
"Hello, everyone," the curly haired one says, grinning wildly. "Pleasure to meet you, I'm sure, I'm sure. My name is Klaus, this grumply old man is Five, and this is my very handsome husband, Dave."  
  
"I am not his husband," Dave says calmly, as 'Five' splutters indignantly, " _Old_!"  
  
"Me and Five are the airbenders!" Klaus says cheerfully. "And Five is an assassin!"  
  
"You weren't supposed to tell them that straight away," Dave sighs, and Five huffs.  
  
"So who's this lot, then," Five snaps, impatient. "I want to get this over with."  
  
They do another round of introductions. Diego's getting a bit tired of telling people who he is, at this point.  
  
"So, if I may ask," Allison asks politely, ignoring Five's cross ' _you may not_ ', "What do you two specialise in?"  
  
"Flight and spiritual projection," Klaus chirps. "If you couldn't tell from the levitation."  
  
"Well, typically offense," Five says. "It's a little off kilter for an air bender, I know, but it's a very specific skillset. I also have a glider." He grips the stick he's holding a little tighter. "She's called Dolores, and she doesn't like you."  
  
Allison looks a little stunned, and Diego barks out a laugh. "Nice to see that we have a crazy assassin and a manic pixie on our hands," he says nastily. "Now, can we go inside?"  
  
As if on cue, the huge doors to the mansion swing open, and they all turn, startled, to face the young woman standing behind them.  
  
She's in a blue parka, like the other Water Tribe members, with her hair combed back neatly and looped into a bun. She has an air of aristocracy about her.  
  
She makes Diego feel uneasy.  
  
"And who's this?" Five asks snarkily. Diego almost laughs again.  
  
7.  
  
"My name is Vanya Hargreeves," the young woman says politely. "Please, come in. We have a lot to discuss."


	5. v. all living in the same universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There have been tensions rising, between the nations," Vanya explains, voice soft but firm, getting straight to the point. "My father was always worried that terrible things would come about, but after his death, his worst fears may come to pass. That is why you have been gathered here."
> 
> "What are you saying?" Diego asks sharply. "That he was a paranoid old man losing what was left of his marbles? Because that doesn't seem like a surprise."
> 
> "Isn't it obvious?" Five snaps, managing to look menacing even with Klaus’ foot in his face. "There's a war brewing. We're here to stop it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so sorry this took so long. we have an ultimatum now at least. hope i can manage 2 finish it a) within the chapter limit and b) before summer holidays :/ i have an exam 2morrow as well LOL. rip. im sorry this feels like another filler chapter but at least yall know whats going on now. the rest of this fic will b more plot heavy i swear, cant believe ive spent half the damn thing on intros alone. im also working on ANOTHER misfits fic BUT its not gonna be multichaptered, at most 2 parts. keep ur eyes peeled 4 taht. anyway enjoy.

The mansion is just as impressive on the inside as it is on the outside.

 

Eudora and the other messengers had left to go about their own business, leaving the seven of them to traipse into the big, old house in silence. Ben can't speak for everyone, but he's fairly sure that they're all a bit awestruck. He knows that he is.

 

They all settle awkwardly on the sofas surrounding a low mahogany table, and Ben watches in interest as his fellow benders sit and stretch out, relishing in how easy they are to read in their mannerisms.

 

Luther, big, quiet, Luther, shifts uncomfortably in place as he tries to make himself as small as possible. Ben had heard Allison call him something earlier, the Stone Guardian, maybe, and he is puzzled at the demeanor of someone obviously named for their composure and personality. He wouldn't have picked Luther out as the shy one, but people are full of surprises, he supposes. His raising is written all over him; the simplicity of his clothing (a shirt and a pair of green overalls, now that his overcoat has been hung up by the door), his mild manner as he makes room for Diego to sit, offering him a small smile even as Diego bares his teeth in hostility. Luther seems genuinely sweet; it’s such a pity that he’s surrounded by people who are not.

 

Diego just seems impatient, twirling a knife between his fingers and sneering at anyone who looks at him too long, including Ben, who just shrugs and smiles at him. Diego snorts in response. He's wedged in between Allison and Luther, the latter looking slightly queasy at the proximity of the blade to his face, and Diego grins sharply at the surprised squeak Luther makes when he 'accidently' drops the knife into his lap. He catches Allison eyeing his outfit in distaste and spits out a quick, “Watch it, lady.” What a dickhead, Ben thinks to himself.

 

Allison is just as cool and composed as she had been when they first met, legs crossed neatly with her hands folded in her lap. She seems calm, but Ben has dealt with enough panicked patients to see the worry in her eyes, darting between the people around the table. It's calculated, every movement thought out, mind working a thousand miles a minute. It's probably why she's as good a bender as she is; fast but careful, strong but agile.

 

Klaus, on the other hand, can't keep still. He's jammed himself into the space between Five and the arm of the sofa, throwing an arm around the squawking boy, and saying, "Wow, this place is huge! Think anyone'll notice if I nick something? No?" Ben flinches as Five flails around, arm nearly hitting him in the face. Klaus catches him looking from around Five's squirming body and winks, something sly and almost cunning sparkling in his green eyes. His dark curls bounce around as he contorts himself into an unlikely position, exclaiming at the softness of the cushions, and Ben is left wondering. For someone so expressive, Klaus is impossible to pin down.

 

The seething mess that is Five is nothing short of amusing, an angry flurry of yellow and red, with his shirt buttoned up to his throat and an unwarranted fury burning in his eyes. He seems older than his looks would suggest; he has a severe case of babyface, all the better for lulling his victims into a false sense of security, Ben thinks, and he has to wonder how Five managed to get into such a line of work. It's very atypical of an airbender to willingly engage in violence, and as Five growls and snaps at Klaus, who is delighting in riling the other up, Ben thinks, _poor Five_. There are only so many reasons that an air nomad would go down the route that Five has, and none of them are at all pleasant.

 

And then-- Vanya. Vanya Hargreeves, daughter of Reginald Hargreeves, the reason that they are all here. She sits with her back straight in an armchair at the head of the table; even in a more casual setting she manages to look regal, reminding Ben of Allison, but there’s something fundamentally different about her. There’s a modesty in the way she holds herself, something almost shy as a small smile plays at the corner of her lips, eyes trained on Klaus and Five’s squabble. While Ben simply raises an eyebrow at the pair when Klaus kicks out and catches Five in the side, eliciting a grunt from the assaulted and a shriek from the assaulter as Five viciously launches himself at Klaus’ head, Vanya lets out a giggle, eyes widening when she realises and raises a hand to her mouth. She shakes her head minutely, schooling her features, before clearing her throat.

 

“If I could have your attention for a moment,” she starts, startling Five, who reflexively snaps his jaw shut around Klaus’ hand, which had, somehow, inexplicably been in Five’s mouth. Vanya gives Klaus a while to finish screaming before she tries again. “Thank you all for being here. There are pressing matters to attend to, so I suggest we get started right away. Would anyone like anything to eat or drink?”

 

“You got whiskey?” asks Klaus, nursing his bitten hand. “And maybe a bandage?”

 

“Grace will attend to that,” Vanya says, gesturing to a figure standing in the shadows. Ben jumps when it bows and silently slips to the back of the room, where a bar is visible. Ben can’t make out the figure’s face, but thinks he can hear the swish of long skirts and the clicking of heels, and feels a sudden rush of wistfulness that he can’t explain.

 

“So are you gonna tell us why we’re here?” Diego spins the knife, and Luther leans away from him. “No offense, but I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we have better things to do.” There’s an awkward but assenting murmur around the room.

 

"There have been tensions rising, between the nations," Vanya explains, voice soft but firm, getting straight to the point. "My father was always worried that terrible things would come about, but after his death, his worst fears may come to pass. That is why you have been gathered here."

 

"What are you saying?" Diego asks sharply. "That he was a paranoid old man losing what was left of his marbles? Because that doesn't seem like a surprise."

 

"Isn't it obvious?" Five snaps, managing to look menacing even with Klaus’ foot in his face. "There's a war brewing. We're here to stop it."

 

There’s a moment of silence, and then the room explodes with yelling. Really, Ben hadn’t been expecting any less.

 

xx

 

It isn't until later, when they've all calmed down and Klaus has extracted three knives from the sofa where he'd been sitting, whining something about his delicate sensibilities, that Vanya fully explains herself.

 

"I am not a bender like yourselves," she says, smiling self-depracatingly. "I was born on the same day as you, and my father adopted me in the hope that I would develop abilities, but he found himself sorely disappointed. I am ordinary. That's why we need you.

 

"For as long as we need, this house will act as a safe haven for you, somewhere that you can hone your skills and prepare for your first mission."

 

"Mission?" Ben questions, frowning slightly. "What mission?"

 

"Oh, infiltration, intel gathering, questioning, things like that," Vanya waves away his question dismissively. "Nothing I'm sure some of you haven't done before. My father kept tabs on all the children born that day, he knew your capabilities." There's a strange glint in her eyes as she fixes her gaze on them. "We know what you've done."

 

"What are you talking about?" Luther asks, hunching in on himself. "I've-- we've never done anything like that before, right? What are you expecting us to be able to do?"

 

"Stop thinking too hard, Luther," Five sighs. "You're just brute force, you won't have to do anything to complicated. You can leave that to the professionals."

 

Allison quirks an eyebrow as Luther folds into himself even more. "The professionals being?"

 

Five laughs. "Well, me, obviously. Diego's some kind of street leader, from what I can tell, and Ben has something he isn't telling us." Ben stiffens at that, and Diego growls, but Five just keeps going. "Klaus is more than he lets on." Klaus, calmer than he's been the entire time they've spent at the mansion, flicks a gust of wind towards Five's face, who waves him off impatiently. "You two are just pretty faces to appease the masses, if something goes horrifically wrong. Reginald Hargreeves was a genius. We aren't here for no reason. We all have a purpose. Some of us are just more important than others."

 

Allison's eye twitches, and Luther makes to stand, face stony, but Vanya clears her throat. "I don't wish to interrupt, but I feel like you may want to settle into your rooms before you commence training. We have a lot to work on regarding teamwork and communication, but first I would like to see your individual abilities. If you could please meet in the courtyard in half an hour, I would be very grateful." With that, she rises from her chair, bows slightly, and exits the room.

 

It's completely silent for a few moments, before Klaus says, "Well! I'll see you all in a tick to whoop your arses, then!"

 

Ben hides a smile behind his hand as Diego and Five bristle, Allison rolls her eyes, and Luther stares beseechingly at him.

 

He's going to enjoy this a lot, he thinks

**Author's Note:**

> this is an incredibly self indulgent meta au. my apologies. hope u like it tho.


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